Blue Is My Favorite Color
by Black Shard
Summary: Beautiful, smart, & strong, it's no wonder Hinata Nya is one of the most popular girls in Ninjago High. Being one of the school nerds, poor Jay Walker is doomed to have his feelings forever unrequited. But things could work out for them if they get a chance to know each other and one special occasion might prove just that... (Rated T for language)


**Blue Is My Favorite Color**

 **It's been years since I wrote a Jaya exclusive story so I wrote another story just for them for Valentine's Day. This will be kind of an AU since ninja aren't a thing in this story & doesn't follow the show and movie universes. As some of you know, the show canon ruined Jaya for me but I decided to set it aside for this very special one-shot, which is also the single largest document I've ever written at over 10,000 words and that's not including the author notes. Now sit back, eat some chocolate, & read on!**

* * *

Jay Walker sighed dreamily as he watched Hinata Nya, one of the most beautiful and popular girls of Ninjago High, saunter down the hall.

Nya's neat bob cut and even bangs of pure ebony stood out against her fair skin and eyes as clear as a cloudless summer sky and ruby red lips caught people's attention. Her red blouse with black and gold details with a gold sash around her waist adorned with a phoenix in the center and black pants made her look elegant today. Heck, she could wear pretty much anything and still look good.

Meanwhile, Jay was as plain as one could get. His neat but short orange-auburn hair didn't make him stand out a whole lot and his sapphire eyes, which would've caught many people's attention ended up appearing mismatched with his hair color. He also had a glaring imperfection on his face with a notch that went right through his right eyebrow which was caused by an explosion during a tinkering mishap when he was young. He couldn't remember everything since it happened so long ago and explosions while inventing happened so many times for him he lost count but it's become a part of who he was.

Except that the person he is has absolutely no chances with Nya.

Nya was also one of the most intelligent girls in Ninjago High. She always got good grades and was on the honor roll more than a few times. She also knew a lot about technology and machinery and even seemed happiest when working with them. It's not surprising that she was part of the auto club, the same club as Jay. He also had an affinity for all kinds of gadgets and was also one of the top students when it comes to academics and sharing at least one interest, he would have a chance with her if he wasn't too nervous to even approach her. She probably doesn't even know he exists.

And Jay could never forget that Nya was also great at sports, which set them apart. While the former can never hit a baseball with the bat, even if his very life depended on it, the latter showed a lot more strength than most would assume she possessed, which helped her get another great school record in sports, especially in swimming, said to be her best sport. Some say she's also the greatest swimmer to ever grace Ninjago High. She even trained in martial arts outside of school and it wasn't surprising she also did well there, given her parentage.

Being the daughter of Ray and Maya, prominent members of Ninjago City's defense department, Nya was way out of Jay's league. His own parents, Ed and Edna, were a couple of mechanics living on the outskirts of the city. The Hinata family were fairly wealthy while the Walkers were barely able to make a living in the city by selling their wacky inventions and fixing any mechanical contraptions from cars to radios. Nya and Jay were on two completely different levels of the caste system. Nya was every bit of the princess she would be in a fairy tale world while Jay would be a measly peasant.

While Nya was popular, Jay was the typical high school nerd who was a favorite target of boorish jocks and passive-aggressive bitches. He did have a few friends who were nice to him but they were also the same nerds who were forever stuck at the bottom of the high school social ladder.

Beauty, brains, brawn. Nya had it all.

And poor Jay had nothing.

"Were you looking at her!? You _were_ looking at her!" A loud voice suddenly roared with burning fury.

Jay watched in wide-eyed horror when one of the many young men of Ninjago High went berserk.

Of all the people in Ninjago who could be Nya's older brother, it just _had_ to be Hinata Kai.

The hot-blooded Kai was infamous in Ninjago High for his ridiculously spiky hair and fiery temper. He was also extremely protective of his sister and chased off countless guys who dared to even look at his little sister with big goo-goo eyes. Some say he's the real reason why Nya remains single. He had just one simple rule for everyone to obey if they want to date his sister…

They can't.

But that didn't stop some poor fools from trying…

...and getting traumatized as a result.

Jay's first instinct was to run as far away from the raging lunatic as possible but much to his confusion, Kai rushed _past_ the nerd and tackled down a different teen.

"I-I-I'm sorry, man!" The poor sap begged but the hothead was having none of it.

"Listen here you meddling pizza face asswipe! If you _dare_ think of doing anything to my baby sister, I'm gonna skin you alive with a carving knife in front of the children's hospital!" Kai added another victim to his list of his pure and innocent baby sister's ex-stalkers.

"Kai, that's enough!" Nya scolded her brother, dragging him away from his latest victim.

"Did you see the way he was ogling you!? He was having sick fantasies of you!" Kai told her.

"I'm not a damsel in distress! I can handle these guys by myself!" His sister argued back.

"Those morons just aren't good enough for you!"

"How would you know!? You're not me!"

"I'm your brother! I know what's best for you and it's none of these perverts!"

The siblings' argument faded once they were out of earshot from Jay's hiding spot inside his locker.

Jay sighed in relief but felt as hopeless as he had always been. There's no way Kai will ever approve of him wanting to be with Nya. Even if Kai wasn't overprotective, he'll still think the awkward dweeb will never be good enough for his sister. Not even Jay himself thought he'll ever be good enough for her.

There's no way a poor nerd like him will have any chances with someone as amazing as Nya...

* * *

During lunchtime, Jay was too distracted by his thoughts to eat one of the bagged lunches his mother made for him everyday.

"Jay, is something troubling you? You look uneasy." A monotonous voice observed him.

Jay's sapphire eyes shifted from the table surface to his friend, Zane Julien.

Zane was a somewhat odd fellow and was another nerd at the bottom of the social ladder. While Jay was a rather plain guy, Zane had an oddly beautiful appearance. His platinum blonde hair in a crew cut looked like strands of gold and silver spun together, his extremely pale blue eyes glowed like the stars of winter, and his skin was as pale as a marble statue. Those features would've gotten the attention of many girls in Ninjago High but there were times Zane's looks made him a bit 'off'. His body proportions were a little too perfect and whenever he stood completely still, he was easily mistaken for a life-sized doll but that would make sense because Zane was not a human.

He's really a robot.

Yes. Jay was so far down the high school food chain one of his very few friends was not even human.

Zane was a robot built by Dr. Julien, one of the most brilliant engineers in Ninjago City. He didn't have to go to school but Zane really wanted to be with humans. It wasn't surprising that he was dismissed as a cold unfeeling machine in such a judgemental environment like high school but as far as Jay was concerned, Zane was a really sweet person, even if there were some things in everyday life he couldn't comprehend like sarcasm and needing oxygen all the time. At least the android was always willing to put up with his lengthy chats.

"I'm just thinking about the usual..." Jay finally answered.

"Perhaps you mean Nya by any chance?" The humanoid brought up the girl of his dreams.

"H-how do you know!?"

"Your fingers have traced Nya's name on the table at least thirty-four times."

Jay sighed yet again, his crush caught on by his robot friend.

"Okay, fine. I like Nya. But so does everyone else." He confessed.

"What makes you so fixated with Nya and not the other girls attending Ninjago High?" Zane continued inquiring his friend.

"I'm not alone on this but I think Nya's such a wonderful girl. She's so pretty but that's not even half of it. She's one of the most intelligent girls I have ever seen and she's so good at everything she does in school. I guess I kinda want to be like her. We're already in the auto club but I want to have something more in common with her or for her to know how I feel… but..."

"But what…?"

"She probably knows I like her already. Every guy in school does so she'd probably expect it. That and I'll never be on the same level as her. She deserves to be with someone just as great but at the same time, I want to be that kind of person, even if I know I can't. I don't have any chances with her but it's something I have trouble accepting. I want to do something for her but I have no idea what to do."

Zane didn't know a whole lot about relationships but even he can tell that Jay _really_ liked Nya. He saw how flustered his human friend was when she was within sight, more than any other teenage boy who attended this school. Even after witnessing Kai's infamous rampages more than enough times to know approaching her could very well be a death sentence, Jay still wanted to impress her or do what else those human boys would do for the girls they were attracted to.

"Do not worry, Jay," Zane attempted to comfort him, "I have seen many other teenagers in this school attempt to woo Nya and they all failed. You are not alone on your dilemma and you most certainly will not be the first person for her to reject or be threatened by Kai. There are a lot of other teenagers who will understand exactly how you feel."

Jay just started sobbing hysterically, grabbing the attention of everyone else in the cafeteria. His robot friend's words only seemed to make things worse for him. It was bad enough to have competition with practically every other guy in school but being reminded of the slim chances of Nya and the likelihood of her rejecting him only twisting the knife deeper into the wound and then covering it with salt. Zane tried to comfort the downtrodden boy again but he ran out of the room before he had the chance to even say one word.

The cafeteria became silent enough for anyone to hear a pin drop and all eyes landed on Zane. It took more than a few moments before he finally spoke.

"...Was it something I said…?" The clueless android wondered out loud.

* * *

Jay would always have all sorts of conversations when having dinner with his parents…

That is except today.

Ed and Edna stared at their son's wistful expression and listened to his constant sighs with concern. If Jay was in no mood to talk, it was a sign that something was off.

"Jay, is something upsetting you? You haven't touched your grilled chicken." Edna observed.

"And you also brought your lunch home and you didn't take a single bite of it and you know how much love your mother puts into the lunches she makes for you." Ed added.

Jay sighed yet again, knowing he'll have to come clean with his feelings.

"Mom? Dad? Can you tell me how you fell in love with each other?" He asked all of a sudden.

"Why are you asking this all of a sudden?" Edna was surprised by her son's question.

"Why are you asking about love? Wait… Is this about a girl?" Ed teased him.

"N-no…!...Maybe… Yes..." Jay hung his head in defeat. He was never good at keeping secrets or lying.

"Ooh, my little baby's growing up!" Edna sniffled melodramatically.

"There's nothing wrong with getting worked up about a girl!" Ed still supported his son, "That's just a sign that you're becoming a man!"

"But how did you two meet?" Their son asked again.

"I'll admit I was one of those wild girls back in the day. I got into all sorts of trouble and I would always stay out all night, partying and drinking until I pass out. I spent many nights at many clubs and parties where I met just as many men and possibly even more. That is, until the day I met your father." Edna sighed wistfully, remembering her salad days.

"Oh yeah," Ed also reminisced on their first meeting, "I was working at an auto body repair. That gaudy van rammed through the gates and in the back were a pile of drunk guys and girls smelling like puke, and in that pile was your mother. Her hair and clothes were such a mess and she was so stinky. I never saw such a beautiful girl in my life. I didn't even care that the driver had no idea why he drove to the shop in the first place. All that mattered was that I felt something I never felt before."

"But now we know why we met that fateful day. We discovered that we both liked thinking up of new inventions and gadgets. Even beyond that, Ed was such an adorable little nerd. He was always there to hold my hair out of the way whenever I threw up and every time I tell him to stop worrying about silly things like those signs on that fence warning us about lake alligators, he was always right behind me."

"Y-yeah..." Ed let out a nervous chortle. He never regretted meeting and marrying Edna but he did _not_ want to relive the early years of their relationship any time soon.

"There were some people that thought Ed was too good for me or that I'll be a bad influence but we proved them wrong, right darling?" Edna turned to her husband.

"Right!" Ed agreed, "A lot of people doubted that your mother and I will have a lasting relationship but we proved them wrong! Our love was true and we overcame anything that got in our way with..."

"The power of love!" The Walkers formed a heart with their hands and kissed and nuzzled noses like a pair of cliched lovebirds.

Jay couldn't help but feel that the way his parents met and the early days of their relationship were a bit unorthodox to say the least. But in the end, they truly loved each other and even if they never got rich or famous, they were quite content with their lot in life. Their house was small and situated in one of the less developed areas of the city but for a family of three, it still sufficed without anything really fancy and they all had many happy memories of this place…

"But that still didn't solve _my_ problems." Jay complained.

"Jay, love is a lot more complicated than those cheesy books, movies, or shows," This time, Ed became more earnest with his advice for his son, "Love comes in many different shapes, just like people. Every person will have a different experience. It's not something anyone can explain so easily."

"I guess so..." The auburn-haired boy sighed.

"That doesn't mean it always has to be difficult," Edna comforted him, "You shouldn't think too hard on it and sometimes, when you least expect it, you'll find all the answers you're looking for."

"But what if I get rejected?"

"First love doesn't necessarily make it _true_ love. But you'll never know until you find out for yourself. In a way, that's the true beauty of living. We all learn from everything we go through in our lives, both good and bad. One day, you'll know how love works and if you're really lucky, you might even find the dream girl."

"But that's the thing..." Jay lamented to his parents, "I… already found my dream girl..."

"No wonder you've been asking questions!" Ed and Edna were ecstatic, much to his surprise, "So, can you tell us who this lucky girl is?"

The blue-eyed boy prepared himself for complete and utter embarrassment before saying the name of the one girl he only had these unique feelings for...

"...Hinata Nya..." Jay answered and became crestfallen once he saw his parents' jaws drop.

"Hinata…? As in _the_ Hinata family…?" Ed gasped.

"But they're such a prominent family and we're not in the same social class," Edna said, "Nya must be very popular and you've told us how unpopular you are at school."

"I know," Jay started, "But Nya's a really special girl. She can wear anything and still look gorgeous and she's one of the smartest girls in school. She can even do all kinds of sports and we're even in the auto club together, even though we've never spoke to each other."

"Are you sure you're really in love with her or is it just a crush?" His mother asked, "You can't know if you really love someone until you really know about them."

"When you have special feelings for someone, it's important to try to get to really know them. There could by other girls as pretty, smart, or strong as Nya. You should try to get to know what makes Nya, well, Nya. Try to discover what makes her unique and what really sets her apart from other girls. Try talking to her." Ed offered some advice.

Jay slammed his head against the table, reminded of the slim chances he has with Nya. He knew very little about her but any attempts to change that will be doomed for failure. That only dashed his hopes even further.

If he doesn't know anything about her, then what chances does he have?

"What's the use? I've always been an ugly failure who can't do anything." He lamented.

"No matter what your chances are, we'll always support you." Edna reassured her son.

"Even though I'm a failure…?" He grumbled.

"You can't be good at everything or get the first girl," Ed also tried to cheer up his son, "You have to go through a lot before you get your happy ending. Your mom and I will always be there for you along the way, no matter what."

"Not even if I end up humiliating myself in front of the girl of my dreams?"

"Of course. That's what parents do. Nothing that will happen to you will ever change the fact that we will always love you."

Jay wanted to believe his parents and while he was always very close with them, he felt that he'll need a lot more than their support to build the confidence he'll need to confront Nya...

* * *

Nya planned to let loose for a simple outing in Ninjago city for the weekend. She rummaged through her vast variety of clothing, trying to come up with the right outfit for today.

'I don't think this one will grab as much attention...' Nya looked over one of her chosen outfits: a white camisole over a dark blue tank top and denim shorts. It was a bit more modest than her other choice, which was a black tank top with a white jacket and a red and black skirt… which was why she picked it.

Nya was very well aware of her reputation as that girl who has it all at school. She sought to give only her very best in everything she does and cared about being good at them for the pure sake of it, which no one in school seemed to understand nor care to know about.

Really, they just blindly worship her without really knowing much about her and she didn't like it.

Those rumors of Kai's overprotective tendencies being the reason she never had a boyfriend couldn't be further from the truth. Nya knew that the only thing every guy in school cared about her were her looks and reputation. If she wants to have a relationship with a guy, then he'll also have to see her for who she was. The real Nya wasn't really much different from every other girl in Ninjago High. She had her own hobbies, interests, and quirks, such as a deep intrigue when learning about the samurai from the early days of Ninjago, wanting to own a motorcycle instead of a car when she moves out, and was also a big fan of the cute mascot character Unikitty. Instead, all those shallow idiots saw was a perfect transcendent goddess who was above everyone else and not another human girl.

Hinata Nya was much more than her accomplishments and looks and she will only be with someone if they can look past them and see and accept her for who she really was. So far, every guy in school just saw a pretty face and whenever she tried to express her own interests and more about herself besides her grades and sports records, they never seem to follow along, completely engrossed with what she can do and not who she is.

She was beginning to lose hope that there was someone out there who'll appreciate her for who she really was inside.

Nya inspected herself in the mirror one last time before heading out but she was hardly surprised by the sight of her brother obstructing her path.

"Where do you think you're going!?" Kai blocked the door.

"I'm going out. What else?" Nya deadpanned and tried to sidestep her brother but he blocked her yet again, much to her aggravation.

"No way I'm letting go out there all by yourself! There's all those creeps from school who'll stalk you or even worse! I can't let them lay a single finger on you!"

"How many times do I have to remind you!? I can deal with them by myself!"

The Hinata siblings' argument soon caught the attention of their parents.

"Kai, you can't treat your sister like a baby forever." Ray sided with his daughter.

"Your sister is a strong young woman and she can take care of herself. Trust her." Maya told her son.

Kai was aware how much Nya had grown but he could never forget their childhood.

Nya was a sickly girl during the first years of her life and her parents often worried for her wellbeing. Kai remembered how deeply they feared for her and often panicked whenever she got sick. While her health was now stable, he often found himself stuck in the past and would still see her as his tiny baby sister he must protect as her big brother at any cost. He always had a hard time letting go of the past but he wanted Nya to be happy more than anything…

"Nya, I've seen you grow up with my own eyes and I -"

"I know you just want to protect me, Kai," Nya interrupted her brother, "But I'm not the weak little girl I was anymore. Please, I want you to trust me. That's all I could ever want from you."

The hot-blooded young man knew what his sister wanted and he wished for her to have that too. The other teens at school saw a pretty face but she wanted someone to also see the iron underneath that he saw. Kai really wanted to encourage her to be the strong girl he knew she really was. It wasn't easy but he wanted her to be happy more than he sought to keep anyone from hurting her.

"Fine," He relented, "Just stay safe and be back before the sun sets."

"I promise." Nya vowed before finally being allowed to leave.

* * *

Hailing from a family of inventors, Jay always liked to stay up to date with the latest technology. One of the best electronics companies was the Borg Industries, headed by the science prodigy Cyrus Borg. Jay really respected the engineer and was always eager to see what he'll come up with next. Much of the electronics stores at the Ninjago City Mall were among the first to give a preview of what the newest creations of Borg Industries will be, which was the main reason he was there, gushing over the latest edition of their best-selling lPhones.

"One of the newest features of the latest model is the periphery app that will give you three hundred and sixty degree angles for panoramas." A staff member of one of the many lPhone stores in the mall boasted about their new product.

Jay initially listened with undivided attention until a certain someone walking into the store caught his sapphire eyes.

'N-Nya…!' Jay gulped and felt his face burn brighter than the sun just by the sight of her. His feet were literally glued to the ground and he couldn't move the tiniest muscle as she walked into the store.

Nya remained oblivious to Jay's plight while gazing at all the electronics and the nervous boy can't tell if that's a good or bad thing.

"Sir, are you okay?" Some other shopper quickly noticed his beet red face. Unfortunately, Nya noticed his abnormal complexion too.

"Jay, is that you?" She recognized that bright auburn hair and blue eyes that could only belong to the chatty auto club member, Jay Walker.

"H-how did you know!?" Jay suddenly shouted awkwardly, "We never talk or anything..." He continued in a very quiet voice, making him seem even weirder.

He was never good at controlling his volume whenever he got nervous even in the slightest.

"I've seen you in the auto club before but you're right. We never really talked." Nya was a little put off by Jay's strange behavior but remained courteous.

The smitten teen was normally talkative but being so close to Nya, he couldn't even move his mouth. People were now staring at him and he became even more scared to talk to her. There were so many things he really wanted to say but all the words fell apart on his tongue. People started staring at him, filling him with anxiety and even Nya's expression shifted to one of annoyance to his horror.

"If you don't want to say anything, fine." She shrugged and was about to leave…

Jay finally found his voice… in the form of loud gibberish, startling Nya.

"Jay, are you okay? Should I take you to the emergency room?" Now she was even more perplexed by how odd he was acting.

"I'm fine." He finally said something coherent to Nya but his voice cracked, adding insult to injury.

"You sure about that?" The blue-eyed girl remained skeptical, "I've never seen anyone act the way you do. Do you have a fever or something?"

"N-no…!" Jay was finally able to speak without squeaking but was as flustered as ever, "I'm as cool as a sea cucumber- I-I mean… cucumber! Yeah! Cool as a cucumber!"

Nya took Jay's words with a grain of salt but gave him a chance, finally noticing that this might be the first time she talked with a guy without him flirting with her.

"Like I said before, we never really talked in school." She repeated.

"With a brother like Kai, it's not too surprising." Jay tried coming up with a witty reply.

Nya let out a little giggle that made some of the tension in Jay's heart evaporate. Just saying anything to her felt like a dream come true to him and without Kai or any judgemental bullies around, he didn't have to worry about being beaten up and the only thing getting in the way was himself… which wasn't really a good thing…

"But Kai's not here, isn't he?" Nya pointed out, "We can talk as much as we want."

"Really?" Jay asked, "Cuz my friends and family say that I tend to talk a lot. I guess it runs in the family because we do nothing but talk, talk, talk whenever we get together. We do like to catch up on things that happen to us like stuff going on in school, what's happening to people we know, and -"

"Jay. You're rambling." Nya halted him but found herself enjoying his company, much to her surprise.

She never knew until now but Jay did possess a certain charm. He was awkward yet endearing and she had no idea why the other teens at school say he was ugly. In fact, he was more cute than handsome. Sure, there were a lot of guys who looked more good-looking than Jay but Nya couldn't care less if she ends up with the hottest guy in Ninjago or not. All she wanted was to be respected and treated as an equal and be seen as her true self and nothing more.

"Uh… do you think there's another place where we could talk…?" Jay asked.

"How about the food court? I'm getting a little hungry." Nya suggested, hearing her stomach growl.

The pair saw that the whole food court was crowded and Jay grew anxious.

"Do you think we'll be able to find seats?" Jay asked nervously.

"We'll see." Nya shrugged before heading for one of the restaurants to order some food, Jay following close behind.

After the pair got their food, they searched the whole area looking for a table but it seemed like every single one was taken. But it looks like Fate will be kind to Jay...

"Nya! I found a table!" Jay called to her.

"Thank god!" Nya sighed with relief once she caught up with him.

It was only after Nya took her seat when Jay realized that the table was tiny and fit only two people.

...or not.

"L-l-looks like w-we'll have to sit t-together..." Jay stuttered.

"That's alright," Nya shrugged off his concern and beckoned him to join her, "Come on. Take a seat."

The flustered boy walked as gracelessly as an old wind-up doll and took his seat right across from his crush. It almost felt like they were an actual couple but that only made him more nervous.

"So, what brings you here?" Nya asked.

"I was just looking around, checking out the latest electronics and doing the kind of stuff the cool guys do..." Jay answered sheepishly, "And what about you? Not trying to be rude or anything but how come Kai's not with you?"

"I just wanted to spend some time by myself away from the house. Kai was obviously against it. In the Mom and Dad did convince him to let me go as long as I don't stay out before the sun sets."

"It's only a little past two. I think we have time."

"We…?" Nya caught on the nerd's choice of words.

"W-what I mean is… There's a lot of stuff to do… A-and it'll be boring being here all day… and… and..." Jay stuttered and trailed off, mentally kicking himself for trying to rush into this sort of stuff.

"I'm not bothering you, am I?" Nya wasn't new to guys acting so nervous when she was close to them. However, she didn't really know much about Jay and didn't plan on judging him without learning more about him.

"N-not at all! I actually like k-kinda getting to know more a-about you..."

Nya was surprised by the words that came out of Jay's mouth.

Did he really mean it or was he just trying to impress her like every other shallow boy from school?

"You do?" She asked with a slight hint of suspicion which Jay seemed to have picked up.

The fidgety teen panicked, assuming he must've said or done something wrong or offended Nya. Jay really meant it when he said he liked getting to know Nya. He always felt drawn to people who had an extensive knowledge of technology and machinery and finding out that Nya also liked technology gave him a small sense of hope like a moth catching a glimpse of light and then flying towards the source.

But how will he convince her of that?

Once Nya was done with her food, Jay instinctively followed her example.

"You don't have to follow me..." Nya told him.

"It's fine. I figured you might want some company." Jay offered.

"Good! There's some stuff I'd like to check out!" Nya grabbed his arm and dragged him to the nearest outlet to begin her shopping spree...

Jay found himself being used like a pack mule but he didn't mind as long as it gave him a chance to be with Nya. Seeing her being just like any other teenage girl didn't diminish his admiration and neither did the pain and struggles of carrying all her shopping bags.

"Do you think these looks nice?" Nya showed Jay a pair of sapphire earrings.

Jay noticed that most of the clothes and accessories Nya was interested in were blue, which happens to be his favorite color. They already shared a common interest in machinery but he wondered if they had anything else in common besides that.

"You… seem to like that color..." Jay said out loud.

"Huh?" Nya tilted her head in confusion.

"I can't help but notice you pick out a lot of blue stuff." He explained.

Nya was surprised that Jay picked up something about her that escaped the minds of almost every guy that tried to woo her.

"Yeah. It's my favorite color." She answered.

Jay felt his heart flutter, now knowing that he had more than one thing in common with Nya. If he gets lucky, then they might have even more quirks they shared and he might have a chance with her...

"Now that you know something about me, let me ask you this… why did _you_ join the auto club?" Now it was Nya's turn to know something about Jay.

"My parents have an affinity for technology and I guess they passed it down to me. I was that kid who liked to play with RC cars and watch my dad work with tools. I was always fascinated by how people in the past were able to come up with something completely new and bring them to life. I've dreamed of being able to do the same as well as seeing how far technology can take us. That's why I also plan on following my parents' footsteps someday." Jay said, reliving his childhood memories.

"What do your parents say about that?"

"They don't mind. They often tell me that as long as I'm happy with the choices I make, then they'll be happy too. I'm really close with them and even if they can be embarrassing, I still love them."

"It must be nice being accepted no matter what…"

"Is something wrong?"

"Never mind." Nya brushed off Jay's concern and made a beeline for the next store.

Jay wasn't sure what was going on with Nya but the only thing he wanted to do now was to make the most of this once in a lifetime chance he has to be with her…

* * *

The sun still hadn't set much to Nya's relief when she was done with her shopping spree. Jay followed close behind her, somehow managing to carry all her shopping bags and boxes.

"Thanks for giving me company today. You know, you're actually a really charming guy." Nya said.

"R-really…?" Jay was shocked by her compliment.

"Yeah. It was nice being able to have a real conversation with a guy."

"Don't you already have that with Kai."

"I meant someone other than my family. You know, you're nothing like how people in school describe you. You're a really sweet person."

Jay blushed but this time, thankful that the boxes obscured his face.

"Can you carry all these things by yourself?" He finally asked, his arms feeling like they could fall off.

"Sure!" Nya made a grab for all the things she brought.

Jay felt stupid for asking such a dumb question. Of course Nya was able to carry all the bags and boxes because she also has brawn to go with those beauty and brains. There were some men who think it's unattractive for girls to be physically strong but Jay wasn't one of those guys. He stared in awe at Nya picking up all the stuff she bought without breaking a sweat.

"I'll see you around." Nya bade him farewell before leaving.

Jay stared dumbstruck where Nya stood only moments ago. He couldn't remember much of the stuff that happened afterwards. One moment, he was standing in front of the mall but when he blinked, he found himself surrounded by his concerned parents and a team of paramedics. Apparently, he fainted right where he stood. Talking with one of the most popular girls in Ninjago can do that to a person.

* * *

Not long after Nya and Jay's encounter, a very special day for Ninjago City arrived.

The party celebrating the anniversary of Ninjago City's founding was held every year at the Garmadon Manor where the social elite gather and enjoy themselves, the Hinata family being no exception. With the event fast approaching, Ray and Maya had to make sure their children were well-suited for such a grand occasion.

"Kai! Nya! Are you ready?" Ray and Maya called out to their children.

"I'm coming!" Kai did a last-minute check on his outfit before showing himself to his parents.

Kai wore a simple black suit with a red button shirt while his hair was still ridiculously spiky. He wasn't one for lavish outfits but he still looked dashing in his formal apparel.

"Nya! Hurry up or we'll be late!" Kai told his sister.

"I can't do everything at once, Kai!" Nya retorted, "I'm almost done."

Nya soon emerged wearing her gown for this year's party. Once she stepped into the living room, her parents and Kai immediately knew that she'll definitely be the belle of the ball at the event.

Nya's extravagant dress was mainly light blue to match her eyes. The dress was slender with a slit on her left side of the skirt, which had an empire waistline and a line of lace running down the right and left sides of the skirt. The waistline was decorated with lace with a string of pale blue pearls wrapped around it, fastened with a blue flower to her right. The neckline of her V-neck sleeveless bodice had a bunch of lace. Slender white gloves covered her arms until halfway up her upper arms, which also had lace on the top. Much of her upper back was bare but several layers of white frills trailed right below the waistline on her back, ending where her legs start. To finish off her looks, what might possibly be the most eye-catching detail of her gown was a long veil-like cape trailing behind her, making her look almost ethereal. The cape itself had lace all around the border along with a very subtle filigree pattern embroidered all over it.

Along with her special dress, Nya's accessories were a fancy choker-like necklace made of pearls and crystals with tiny blue flower charms and a single large blue flower on her left side of her neat ebony hair decorated with a loop of pearls and a couple of frills.

"You'll certainly be the center of attention at the party!" Ray beamed with pride at his daughter.

"I can't believe how much you've grown. It still feels like yesterday when you were a newborn baby." Maya felt all sentimental having seen her daughter all grown up.

Both parents couldn't be more proud of their one and only daughter blossom from an innocent little girl into an exceptionally beautiful and gifted young woman.

"Not if _I_ have something to say about that..." Kai knew from experience that Nya wasn't free from all those flirtatious playboys at the event.

"Kai, relax. This is supposed to be a party, not a bloodbath." Nya retorted.

"Let's get going, you two," Their parents said, "We wouldn't want to be late."

With everyone all dressed up, the Hinata family set off for the Garmadon Manor.

* * *

The anniversary party was widely believed to be just an exclusive high-class affair but the event wasn't just for rich people. Because Mayor Garmadon really cared for all the people in Ninjago City, citizens of the middle and lower class were allowed to attend as long as they can afford an admittedly expensive invitation. Unfortunately, there was often tension among the different classes so they were usually still separated with the rich getting all the publicity and recognition.

But Jay wouldn't know that.

He and his family were never able to afford the invitations on their budget and all they saw were the rich people hogging all the spotlight on TV.

"We have an hour left before the annual celebration begins so join us on our live interview with some of the more famous guests planning to attend the party..." Gale, announcer of NTV spoke through the cheap TV screen of the Walker household.

"Jay, would you mind coming over here for a moment?" Ed summoned Jay to the dining room table.

"What is it?" Jay grew curious. He was doing well in school and he didn't do anything bad lately.

Why else would his parents want to talk to him?

Edna whispered something to her husband before turning to their son.

"We have a little something for you." She said before showing something very special to him.

Jay almost yelped but his voice got caught in his throat the exact moment his parents showed him an invitation to the party at the Garmadon Manor.

"How did you get an invitation!? We could never afford them!" Jay gasped at the invitation.

"If this doesn't prove you nothing, I don't know what will!" Ed merely chuckled at his son's reaction.

"We waited in line for five hours to reserve one just for you." Edna handed it over to her son.

"But how were you able to buy it!? Just one invitation is at least five hundred big ones!" The blue-eyed teen still had yet to overcome his shock of having one just for him.

"We have been saving money to buy a bigger house but you know what? We thought that maybe we don't have to move. We're already really happy with what we have here. We don't need live in a fancy house to be happy." His parents told him.

"But you must've been saving money for years. Isn't that still a waste?" Jay still felt bad for making his parents go through so much for something they worked so hard for only to throw it all away.

"Money can't buy happiness. Don't you read all those stories of depressed celebrities?" Ed asked.

"What does that have to do with going to the party?" His son got confused.

"We want you to find happiness. When you were born, the only thing we could ever want was for you to live the kind of life that would make you happy but we also want you to experience everything the world has to offer. We've experienced so many things and we want you to see it all too." Edna said.

"Mom… Dad… I don't know what to say..."

"You don't have to say anything."

All Jay could do was throw himself at his parents, clutching them in an embrace that said much more than any words could. As loud and talkative as they were, the Walkers knew better than anyone else that some actions can speak much louder than words could.

* * *

The Garmadon manor was already crowded even before the party officially began. The Hinata family were already there, awaiting the speech that preceded every celebration.

"May I have your attention, please!" One of the security guards beckoned the crowd.

"Please listen to the opening speech of the son of Mayor Garmadon, Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon." Another guard led the mayor's son to the front of the mansion.

Everyone applauded when Lloyd emerged from the mansion to begin his welcoming speech.

Lloyd, the only child of Mayor Garmadon was young but already had a strong sense of responsibility. His youthful green eyes and blonde hair belies a type of wisdom beyond his years. He remained calm as he presented himself to the attendees.

"On the behalf of my father and family, I would like to thank you all for gathering here today for such a joyous occasion. Every anniversary has been special but this year will stand out because it will be the fiftieth anniversary since Ninjago City was founded. This is a day had always been for everyone to live together in harmony and tonight, we shall honor that tradition. It will be my honor and great pleasure to officially begin this year's celebrations." Lloyd delivered his speech to begin the party.

Everyone applauded as the party finally went underway.

* * *

The closest thing to formal wear Jay had was an old-fashioned dark blue suit with a little bow passed down from his father, which he only wore during picture days at school. He kept inspecting himself in the back of his parents' gaudy outdated car while they drove him to the Garmadon Manor.

"H-how do I look?" Jay fidgeted in his suit, fearing that there could be one tiny detail out of place.

"You look great as always." Ed and Edna were as encouraging as ever with their son.

Now Jay truly had no idea how to feel. He, a nerdy boy from a family barely able to get buy in the city, was going to be at the most important event in Ninjago City where only the rich and elite gathered.

"We're here!" His parents stopped the car in front of the path leading to the Garmadon Manor.

"Now go out there and have fun. We'll come and pick you up whenever you're ready." Ed told him.

Just as Jay hopped off the car, his parents still had one last chance to embarrass him and they took it.

"Make sure you have a spare of clean underwear! We don't want you soiling yourself at the greatest party in Ninjago!" Edna hollered to her son.

"MOM!"

Jay ran out of sight as fast as he could but could still hear the crowd's raucous guffawing.

* * *

Just as expected, Nya got a lot of attention at the party, especially from other young men. As always, she kept rejecting them all but here, she was on her own. Because this was a formal event, Kai had to remain civil and was unable to chase them off, which might not be as great as his sister thought. She was more than capable of turning them down but it was getting a little too repetitive.

Underneath her polite manners, Nya was beyond exasperated by all the young men who kept wooing her at the party. Like the other boys in school, they only knew of her looks and achievements and had zero interest in trying to get to know the real Hinata Nya.

Is having just one person seeing her as just another girl too much to ask?

While it was refreshing not having Kai to scare them off, she was frustrated by the nonstop flirting and lame pick-up lines.

"So Nya, how about you and me take a little walk in the gardens?" One of her suitors attempted to win her over but she was having none of it.

"Sorry but I'm not in the mood." Nya politely declined and left to find her parents.

Ray and Maya were talking with Lou Charbonneau, one of the members of the renowned barbershop quartet, The Royal Blacksmiths. The Charbonneau family was also one of the wealthiest in the entire city and Lou himself was considered a shining example of Ninjago City's sophisticated high society and was thus a big name in Ninjago City's music industry.

"Nya, you remember Mr. Charbonneau from last year, do you?" Ray reintroduced his daughter to Lou.

"Hello Mr. Charbonneau." Nya politely curtsied before him.

"It's a pleasure to meet you again, Hinata Nya," The esteemed dancer kissed her hand, "You happen to also remember my son, yes?"

"Of course." She nodded.

"Cole, come over here and say hello to Nya!" Lou beckoned his son over.

Cole Charbonneau looked up from his plate piled high with all kinds of cake from chocolate to orange. He looked almost comically heartbroken from the break in his cake spree but he refused to turn down a chance to talk to Nya.

Cole was… very different from his father to say the least.

Having lush hair and bushy eyebrows the same ebony color as Nya's, flesh the color of rich earth, and a tall yet very muscular build, Cole was the very definition of tall, dark, and handsome. A lot of young maidens gushed over how handsome he was as he approaching Nya. Even she had to admit she also found him to be very attractive, even if his entirely black suit looked like it could be torn to shreds by his large muscles if he makes any sudden movements.

"Wow! How do you manage to always look drop dead gorgeous every year?" Cole complimented Nya.

"I have my ways." Nya playfully boasted.

"Don't you ever?"

"Good point."

"So how's life in Ninjago?"

"Same as usual. Guys keep trying to pick me up and Kai's always scaring them off before I can say 'no'."

"But let me guess, you still would've turned them down anyway."

"Gee, how do you know?"

"I just went with my gut." Cole gave a small pat on his rock hard abs hidden under his suit.

Nya giggled at his sense of humor, already enjoying their time together.

Since Cole attended an all-boys private school instead of Ninjago High, he and Nya didn't meet up very often. They do meet several times a year during gatherings at the Garmadon Manor such as this one and bumping into each other in the city if they got lucky. They always made the most of the very few times they got to meet and enjoyed each other's company.

"You two are certainly hitting it off." Ray said jovially.

"I'm so glad you're are getting along." Maya added.

"Yes. You two will make a wonderful couple." Lou said, possibly wanting his son to marry Hinata Nya, one of the most talented young women in Ninjago City.

Only a girl like her may be the perfect match for a member of the prestigious Charbonneau family.

"We'll see..." Cole averted his earthy green eyes away from his father and Nya briefly.

"We should probably go..." Nya observed Kai glaring at Cole from the food tables. The contents of the punch bowl right next to him was literally boiling from the overprotective brother's flames of wrath.

The two friends left to find a less crowded place to catch up with one another.

* * *

The party already went on for some time by the time Jay arrived at the Garmadon Manor.

Jay was still nervous and feared he'll be rejected even while showing the security guards his invitation. With his parents unable to go, he felt completely helpless unlike during the outings he made into the city alone. In the city, he was surrounded by people on the same level as him and his family but here, there seemed to be no one else besides the richest people in the city. These beautiful people were on a completely different level and he'll stick out like a sore thumb.

"You're in. Enjoy yourself." The bouncer allowed the nervous boy entry.

Jay wandered through the already crowded entrance to the manor. He was surrounded by unfamiliar faces in a world he didn't belong to. He was literally a country mouse in the middle of the big city. He felt his heart race and already breaking into a sweat. He didn't know what to do. He was beginning to hyperventilate until he caught a familiar face near the entrance to the main building.

'Zane…?' There was no mistaking those glowing icy blue eyes and doll-like features.

Having been very famous in his prime, Dr. Julien was still an affluent man in his twilight years and was able to afford invitations for himself and Zane to the party. Their presence brought a welcoming sense of familiarity to the blue-eyed boy.

"Zane! Thank god you're here!" Jay was relieved to find someone he knows at the party.

The android stood by his elderly father's side. Although he built him instead of marrying a woman and having a child or even adopt one, Dr. Julien was very much Zane's father. In turn, the brilliant inventor saw and treated his creation as his own child. Zane was his own person, being a human or robot didn't matter. Zane is Zane as far as Dr. Julien and Jay were concerned. For the formal occasion, Zane and his father both wore suits, Zane's in silver and Dr. Julien's in white.

"I am pleasantly surprised you have made it." Zane greeted Jay as politely as ever.

"Is this the Jay Walker you've told me about?" Dr. Julien asked.

"Yes, Father. We are friends at school." The robot answered his human father.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Jay." The old engineer shook hands with his robot son's friend.

Jay was also delighted to meet one of the most intelligent people in Ninjago City. Everyone in Ninjago City also knew of Dr. Adam Julien and the tech geek was elated to finally meet him in person.

"Forgive me for my intrusiveness but may I ask how you were able to gain access to the manor for the anniversary party?" Zane asked.

"My parents managed to buy me an invitation this year." Jay explained to keep it simple.

"But why aren't they here?"

"They could only buy one..."

"You're so fortunate to have such loving parents." Dr. Julien said.

"Yeah. They're pretty great to have." Jay still felt guilty but didn't let it get to him.

"Now that you are here, how do you plan to spend the event?" Zane asked.

"I think I'll go and look around a bit."

Whenever he was in a new place, Jay often felt an urge to look around and explore, including a place as drastically different as the Garmadon manor.

"In that case, I hope you enjoy yourself." Dr. Julien said.

"I'll try..." Jay said before entering the main building...

* * *

"...and then I told him, 'I'll never be anyone's housewife!' and slammed the door on his face!" Nya told Cole of the last time she rejected one of her suitors before Kai had a chance to terrorize them.

"Those guys seem hopeless." Cole chuckled.

"I am used to it but it would be nice to talk to a guy without him going gaga for once." Nya sighed.

"But we are talking to each other. Doesn't that count?"

"Yeah..."

Despite their strong friendship, Nya and Cole never really felt anything special between them.

They did get along and Nya liked that Cole didn't think of her as a perfect goddess. As for Cole, he also liked that Nya didn't have high expectations of him and liked him for just being who he really was and in return, he respected the talented girl for wanting the same.

Like Nya, Cole had a lot to live up to, being a member of the esteemed Charbonneau family. He didn't want to become a dancer or be forever trapped in the bourgeois upper crust society he secretly hated. Every day, he was surrounded by shallow materialistic snobs who cared about fame and fortune more than anything else and expected the younger generation in their class to be just like them and to crush any sense of individuality in them.

"Nya, are you okay?" Cole took notice of his friend's glum expression in what's supposed to be one of the greatest events in Ninjago City.

"It's nothing…" Nya brushed him off.

Cole was far from a terrible person but Nya just couldn't find that special feeling that there was some sort of special connection between them. They shared some similarities, especially having to face such high expectations from society. Cole didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps as a quartet dancer, even if he already had a gift in singing and dancing, while Nya was expected to be absolutely perfect in everything she does and think of nothing besides that. They were more than what they were good at and empathized with one another but none of them felt anything for each other beyond that.

Maybe it was their different personalities?

Nya was strong-willed, never afraid to voice her opinions, and was a bit of a perfectionist. Cole on the other hand was steadfast but didn't care if he made any mistakes as long as he gets the job done and no one got hurt. Nya was an intuitive girl who also knew a lot about machines and Cole would always think things through but wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to technology.

Some say two people with very different personalities can still be compatible but Nya wasn't sure she wanted that if she were to enter a relationship. She still wanted to be with someone who will not only see her for who she truly was but to also have several things in common with them such as plans for the future and what they like and didn't like.

"I gotta get out of here..." Nya muttered.

"Is something wrong?" Cole tried to follow but she stopped him.

"No. I just need a moment to myself..." She dismissed his concerns before wandering off.

Nya found a small balcony where she can be alone with her emotions. She sighed as she gazed up at the night sky. The countless stars shining against the dark sky usually calmed her nerves whenever she was frustrated but they didn't seem to work their magic tonight. But at least she can have a moment all to herself.

* * *

Jay was both awed and intimidated by all the sights at the manor. There's no way a small poor lowlife like him could ever belong to this lavish and extravagant world. His parents sacrificed so much to give him a chance to live the high life but it turns out that life just isn't for him. He felt bad for making their sacrifices meaningless but he was becoming more and more tempted to leave. But there was just one little problem…

'Oh crap.' Jay was completely lost.

The poor guy wandered around the building, trying to find a way out but the place was very different from every other building he's been to and he felt even more lost. He started to panic and run around but something, or _someone_ , stopped him.

Jay caught sight of a lone girl standing out on one of the balconies and recognized her in an instant.

Jay's heart literally skipped a beat and then nearly flew out of his chest the moment he saw Nya in her dress. He never thought it was possible for her to be even more beautiful but he was proven wrong at this moment. Even the stars shining in the heavens above pale next to her beauty.

"Nya…?" Jay gawked.

"Jay! What are you doing here?" Nya was surprised by his presence.

"I got an invitation," Jay answered, "This is my first time being here. It must feel amazing belonging in this world full of beautiful and talented people. I'll never have that."

"It's actually kinda frustrating..."

"Why would you say that? You seem to have everything any girl could want. You have brains, beauty, _and_ brawn. If I were a girl, I would give _anything_ to have all that."

"People only like me for my looks or what I can do and don't even care to know the real me."

"The real you…?"

"All those achievements in school are just one part of who I am but no one cares about that. All they see is beauty and talent. Nothing more."

"I… I'm sorry..."

Jay was shocked that Nya didn't like her reputation at school but joined her on the balcony.

"You don't need to apologize. I'm also aware that there's some people who are jealous of me. In fact, I'm also jealous of the girls who don't have to live up to such high standards. People won't judge them so much if they make a mistake. Whenever I do something wrong, I have trouble letting it go. I'll admit I'm a perfectionist and I know that if I make any mistakes, my reputation in school will come crashing down. I actually kinda want that but at the same time, I'll feel like a total failure. I achieved so much in school for no one but myself. I don't care about my reputation but I won't be able to forgive myself if I give any less than my best effort. That's what makes it so hard." Nya groaned with exasperation.

"I still think you're amazing. I got to see the real you that day in the Ninjago City Mall and learning all about that had me more drawn to you than ever before." Jay confessed.

"Do you really mean it…?"

"Of course… but..."

"But what?"

"We're… too different. You have so much going for you and I'm nothing. You deserve better."

"You don't have to be good-looking or talented. I just want to be with someone who's not afraid to be who they are."

"I don't know who I am..."

"From what I can tell, you're a surprisingly sweet boy. You're no Prince Charming but you still have this awkward charm that I find kinda cute. You're… adorkable."

"Adorkable…?"

"You know… dork and adorable."

"But what will everyone at school think if they see us together? They'll laugh at us and you might lose your popularity and -"

"So be it."

"A-are you sure? W-what about you r-reputation you worked so hard for?"

"I told you before. I don't care what others think as long as I just do my best… and have someone who will accept all of me and to truly know one another and see each other for who we really are."

Jay was surprised by Nya's confession and could think of only one thing to say...

"My favorite color is blue too." He said, well, out of the blue.

"Huh?" Nya tilted her head in confusion.

"Back then, you said your favorite color is blue. It's also _my_ favorite color."

"I'm surprised you remember that."

"How can I not? If we're gonna start hanging out, I might as well start getting to know you."

"Jay, you're such a dork!" Nya giggled.

"You did say I was… aDORKable!" Jay jested.

The pair's laughter rang out in the starry night sky.

Nya and Jay still had no idea if they were meant to be but there was one way to find out.

And they were already looking forward to it.

* * *

 **If you managed to reach this far in one go, then congratulations. You have become a transcendent being.**

 **This is the biggest one-shot I have written yet and I spent many fun sleepless nights writing it. Now I'm starting to get ideas set in this universe such as a look into Zane's life, Kai & Nya's sibling bond, Cole's struggles to live up to his family's reputation, or even a sequel for Nya & Jay's relationship but tell me what you think. As always, hope your Valentine's Day was filled with chocolates, Netflix shows, and sick reminders that we'll all live & die alone no matter what.**


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